So I stepped up for a high dollar 9" converter a couple weeks ago. Went to Woodburn dragstrip over the weekend for some Super Gas test-n-tune. Made seven passes and everything was going well. Eigth pass and down to the final four cars then BOOM (well, really SNAP).

My TCI Vasco input shaft sheared off about in the middle like it was cut in a band saw. OK, so $400 bucks, not the end of the world, right?

Well the motor went to 8400 immediately, which grenaded the stator in the converter, which grenaded the converter pump (front cover) which grenaded the turbine.

Got that news last night between 1st and second round at PIR. Didn't make for much fun the rest of the night.

So, my question for all you high horsepower, Glide equipped racers, what input shaft would you recommend?

BTW, today I got some good news. A1 performance (my converter guys) got TCI to warranty the shaft and A1 didn't charge me any labor to rebuild the converter. Just had to pay for the parts. Gave it to them on Tuesday and got it back, along with the new input shaft, today.

I run a basic turbo spline aftermarket shaft. It still has the sealing rings and has never broke.

A friend who used to run a Pro Street heads up car kept breaking these shafts and went to a ringless shaft to fix problem. But, the only time they broke the ring type shaft is when the car shook the tires. 2,700 lb chevy with a very well built 615 and a ton of nitrous. Car ran 4.40's. If that answers the power level in this car question.

Leon

I have one guy that I do alot of stuff for that races 275. He is rougher on parts than any other person I know. He broke a standard tci hardened shaft, upgraded to a BTE ringless broke 2 of those, Then we went with a TCI pro x input and tci gerotor pump and has been flawless for 2 years now. This is a 3400lb car going 4.80's in 1/8. I bought the exact same set up for my new trans. But as leon said they were only broken by them trying to drive through tire shake, or alot of pedaling during as pass. Good luck.

until last season I ran the stock PG shaft for 7 years. never a problem

I ran for several seasons with the hardened input with standard spline, and before a full season was complete, my splines would twist about 1 full spline-width, and I would replace it. Went to the TCI Turbo shaft before last season and haven't had a problem since. My car only weighs 2150, throttle stop closes at .100, so it is relatively easy on drive-line parts.

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My TCI Vasco input shaft sheared off about in the middle like it was cut in a band saw. OK, so $400 bucks, not the end of the world, right?

Well the motor went to 8400 immediately, which grenaded the stator in the converter, which grenaded the converter pump (front cover) which grenaded the turbine.

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something doesn't sound right with this one. first that input never should have broken and second the converter damage (being the shaft was already broken) should not have occurred, certainly not from the rpm, maybe if the input jammed sideways or something.

on another note no one actually uses the glide input shaft any more do they?

Dick,
I run a ringless input on both of my transmissions, but as said previously, I don't weigh what you do. The pump and internals need to be upgraded to accept it. Once I stepped up to the better planetaries, and input shaft stuff, I haven't broken a thing. But I'm only 1850#s